September 13, 2024
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Yorkville Green Connect seeks volunteers for Aug. 31 environmental clean-up

Group partners with The Conservation Foundation to protect environmental areas

By Joey Weslo
Yorkville Green Connect volunteers Stephanie Roskopf (far left), Patty P. (second to left), Renee Kryger (second to right), and Don Puffy (far right) join after cleaning up Yorkville's streets of debris and litter.

Yorkville Green Connect volunteers Stephanie Roskopf (far left), Patty P. (second to left), Renee Kryger (second to right), and Don Puffy (far right) join after cleaning up Yorkville's streets of debris and litter. (Provided by Stephanie Roskopf)

Stephanie Roskopf believes by cleaning one street at a time with the Yorkville Green Connect volunteer group, they spread to the community the environmental ethos of leaving the world better than it was.

For eight years, Roskopf has joined local volunteers providing environmental cleanups throughout the Yorkville area. On Aug. 31 from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m., the group is seeking volunteers to help clean the streets around Burks Bros Drywall at 1207 Badger St, Yorkville. Those interested can volunteer at 630-400-2710. Green Connect is sponsored by the Yorkville Chamber of Commerce, seeking to promote sustainable ecological practices by both area businesses and the community alike.

“I was inspired to volunteer because I care about environmental responsibility in our community,” said Roskopf. “The majority of our members attend our projects because they are environmentally focused. Having that good core of passion is what brings us all together.”

Roskopf said the compassionate and caring bonds of the Yorkville community inspire her to continually give back. She said wear gloves and comfy shoes, because the chosen high-trafficked roadway of their clean-up contains a lot of litter and debris to clean-up.

“It’s amazing how many different people show up for our projects,” said Roskopf. “We have families that show up consistently and always have new faces. We learned that if you drop a couple pennies along the way, the kids get really excited.”

Purcell’s Ace Hardware donates pickers so volunteers don’t have to continually bend, and trash bags for the clean-up. Green Connection provides volunteers bright yellow t-shirts so they stand out to the community.

Yorkville Green Connect partners with the Conservation Foundation whose motto is “We save land. We save rivers.” Roskopf said working together with them is emblematic of their belief that to change the world, the best place to start is right in your own backyard.

“Partnering with them is great because they have more resources to best determine what areas and causes need to be worked on in the community and how to achieve our goals the most efficiently. Together we can accomplish amazing things.”

Green Connect hosts the Green Committee every second Thursday of each month from 11:30 a.m. - noon at the Yorkville Area Chamber of Commerce office, 26 W. Countryside Pkwy, Yorkville.